Bus ‘left to rot’ in car shop

A Cebu City Government vehicle that was reportedly issued before to Barangay Busay was allegedly abandoned in the General Services Office (GSO) warehouse in the South Road Properties.

In a Facebook post dated April 21, opposition Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia alleged that the bus was “left to rot” since Busay is not identified with Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan.

A photo of the vehicle was also uploaded by the councilor in his official Facebook page.

“Instead of allowing the residents of Barangay Busay to use this bus, the Mayor (Tomas Osmeña) has chosen to let it rot in a Cityowned property all because the Barangay Captain (Amilo Lopez) is not politically affiliated with him. What a disservice to the people!” he said.

Garcia said it was Busay Barangay Councilor Kevin Sanchez who raised the matter.

Sought for comment, GSO head Ronald Malacora said the bus was deemed “beyond economic repair” by the previous administration. He said it was not among the vehicles recalled by the City when Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña assumed office as acting mayor in May 2016.

“If it was recalled, the other bus still used now in Busay would have been recalled, too),” Malacora said.

So how did the bus end up at the warehouse?

Malacora said reports from his personnel showed that the vehicle was previously used by the barangay to ferry students.

But the bus got involved in an accident and was sent to the maintenance section of GSO.

“Sa una, sa pag-attain ana sa previous management sa GSO, ingon sila mas dako kuno og gasto. Mokantidad kuno og pareha rag nipalit kag bag-o mao nga wa gi-repair plus, wala silay budget para pagparepair adto (Repairing the bus would be like buying a new one, and there was no budget for it, too),” Malacora said.

He said that based on the guidelines set by the Commission on Audit, government offices are not allowed to pay beyond 60 percent of the acquisition cost for the repair of damaged property.

“So possible na nga maoy rason og nganong na junk na kay that was brought to the garage, to the repair bay before the assumption of Councilor (Margot) Osmeña as acting mayor.

Ang nahitabo ana, pagpang recall sa mga sakyanan, ila nalang pud na nga giuli didto sa maintenance kay mao lagi na, dako og gasto (What possibly happened was that when Councilor Margot Osmeña recalled the vehicles, the barangay decided to just return it to maintenance),” Malacora said.